The Commodores have already played four ranked opponents this season in USC (#10/#10), Virginia (RV/#25), Seton Hall (#20/#20), and Arizona State (#5/#6). The four ranked non-conference opponents is the most by a Commodore team since 1988, when Vanderbilt also played four (11/22 – # 2 Michigan, L, 66-91; 11/27 – #16 Ohio State, L, 82-97; 11/30 – #13 Louisville, W, 65-62; 12/7 – #8 North Carolina, L, 77-89).

Tennessee, coming in ranked #24 in the AP poll and #23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, will be Vanderbilt’s 5th meeting against a ranked opponent this season.

More on Tennessee

Tennessee enters the game with a 10-4 overall record and a 1-2 mark in SEC play after an 11-point victory over Kentucky on Saturday night in Knoxville.

Tennessee is the Commodores’ most-played opponent – Tuesday’s meeting will be the 194th all-time meeting, with the first meeting coming in the 1921-22 campaign.

The Commodores have won their last three games in Knoxville against Tennessee, their first three-game win streak at Tennessee since 1955, 56, and 57.

Vanderbilt is 10-15 all-time against ranked Tennessee opponents.

Last time played against ranked Tennessee team – #14 Tennessee – Jan. 27, 2010, W, 85-76 in Knoxville

VU’s record against ranked Tennessee opponent at Memorial Gym is 7-4, and the Commodores’ record against ranked Tennessee when Vanderbilt is not ranked is 7-11.

A Commodore Win Would…

Move Vanderbilt’s record in the SEC to 2-2 in SEC play and 2-0 in league games played at Memorial Gym.

Would give Vanderbilt their first win over Tennessee at Memorial Gym since the 2016 SEC campaign. The Commodores have won three straight over the Volunteers in Knoxville.

Move Vanderbilt’s record against Tennessee in games played on campus to 51-36.

Jeff Roberson: Mr Double-Double

Jeff Roberson has six double doubles on the season, the most in a season by a Commodore since Damian Jones had seven in the 2015-16 season. Seven is also the most by a Commodore since Will Perdue had 10 in his junior season (1986-87) and 16 in his senior season (1987-88).

Roberson is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Roberson is second in the SEC in double doubles, and is fourth in the SEC in rebounding, fifth in free throw percentage, and first in defensive rebounding. Matthew Fisher Davis adds 12.3 points per game, Riley LaChance pitches in 10.9 points, and Saben Lee averages 10.5 points per game.

Vanderbilt Quick Hitters

Lee has led the Commodores in scoring for the last two games and is averaging 20.0 points per game in that span. In three league games, the freshman from Phoenix is the team’s leading scorer at 17.7 points per contest.

Jeff Roberson is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Roberson is second in the SEC in double doubles, and is fourth in the SEC in rebounding, fifth in free throw percentage, and first in defensive rebounding. Matthew Fisher Davis adds 12.3 points per game, Riley LaChance pitches in 10.9 points, and Saben Lee averages 10.5 points per game.

Roberson eclipsed the 1,000-point barrier in his career with his 21-point game against Alcorn State. He joins two other 1,000-point scorers on this year’s roster – Riley LaChance and Matthew Fisher-Davis. There has been only one other class of Vanderbilt players to have three 1,000-point scorers – the vaunted “F Troop” – Butch Feher, Joe Ford, and Jeff Fosnes in 1976.

Fisher-Davis has 1,200 points and LaChance has 1,190 career points, and are 31st and 34th on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list, respectively, and are second and third amongst current players in SEC in scoring. Georgia’s Yante Maten is the conference’s current career leader.

LaChance, who has 360 career assists, is now 10th on Vanderbilt’s all-time assist list after surpassing Al McKinney against Florida. McKinney played from 1981-84 and finished his career with 351 career assists. Russell Lakey is ninth on the list with 369 assists.

Vanderbilt’s record against ranked opponents is 94-232 all-time and 64-76 against ranked opponents at home.

The Commodores have used seven different starting lineups this season.

The Commodores have already played four ranked opponents this season in USC (#10/#10), Virginia (RV/#25), Seton Hall (#20/#20), and Arizona State (#5/#6). The four ranked non-conference opponents is the most by a Commodore team since 1988, when Vanderbilt also played four (11/22 – # 2 Michigan, L, 66-91; 11/27 – #16 Ohio State, L, 82-97; 11/30 – #13 Louisville, W, 65-62; 12/7 – #8 North Carolina, L, 77-89).

This season’s non-conference schedule features eight games against teams who played in the postseason a year ago. Five opponents, USC, Seton Hall, Virginia, Kansas State, and Middle Tennessee, all played in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, with NIT participant Belmont, 2017 NIT Champion TCU, and CollegeInsider.com Tournament team UNC Asheville also on the challenging slate. KenPom.com has Vanderbilt’s strength of schedule at 11 as of January 7.

Commodore head coach Bryce Drew, now in his second season, led the Commodores to the NCAA Tournament in his first season in Nashville, marking the first time in the history of the program a first-year Vanderbilt coach led his team to the tournament. Overall, the Commodores made their 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their first back-to-back appearances since making three consecutive tournaments from 2010-12.

In the early signing period, the Commodores signed a consensus top 10 recruiting class for next season – the Commodores received commitments from two five-star players, point guard Darius Garland (Brentwood, Tenn.) and forward Simi Shittu (Burlington, Ontario, Canada.), and four-star wing player Aaron Nesmith (Charleston, S.C.), one of the nation’s top shooters.

SEC Strength of Schedule

Here’s a look at KenPom’s strength of schedule among league teams (1/4).

1. Tennessee, 4

2. Alabama, 8

3. Vanderbilt, 11

4. Arkansas, 18

5. Florida, 25

6. Kentucky, 27

7. Texas A&M, 28

8. Missouri, 84

9. Georgia, 90

10. S. Carolina, 97

11. Auburn, 134

12. Ole Miss, 159

13. LSU, 168

14. Miss. St., 336

700th SEC Win

Vanderbilt is in its 85th SEC season and is a charter member of the league. All time against current members of the conference, Vanderbilt is 710-695.

1,014

Vanderbilt has made a 3-pointer in 1,014 consecutive games, a streak which began at the inception of the 3-point line in 1986-87. The Commodores rank third only to UNLV and Kentucky for the longest streak in Division I basketball. Vanderbilt, UNLV and Princeton are the only three schools in college basketball to have made at least one 3-pointer in every game played since the 3-point line was implemented.